What Happens to Your Body When You Eat Peanut Butter Regularly

Table of ContentsView AllTable of Contents5 Reasons Why Peanut Butter Is Good for YouEating Peanut Butter Every Day: What’s Healthy?Reasons Why Peanut Butter Isn’t Good for Some PeopleChoosing Healthy Types of Peanut ButterOther Types of Healthy Nut Butter

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

5 Reasons Why Peanut Butter Is Good for You

Eating Peanut Butter Every Day: What’s Healthy?

Reasons Why Peanut Butter Isn’t Good for Some People

Choosing Healthy Types of Peanut Butter

Other Types of Healthy Nut Butter

Peanut butter can be a healthy part of a balanced diet—just a small amount packs plenty of protein, healthy fats, and essential vitamins and minerals. However, added sugar, salt, and unhealthy oils may make it more of a junk food. And people withpeanut or nut allergiesmay have to avoid it altogether.

The health benefits of peanut butter vary according to how and with what added ingredients it’s made, so it’s important to read labels carefully. Generally speaking, peanut butter can be part of a healthy diet.

1. Packs in the Protein

Just 2 tablespoons of peanut butter contains about 7.2 grams of protein.Proteinis essential to healthy muscles, cartilage, bones, skin, and blood. It also helps power enzymes, hormones, and vitamins.

You need about 7 grams of protein daily for every 20 pounds of body weight.Your needs vary according to age, sex, and level of activity.

Most healthy men need at least 56 grams daily, while women need 46 grams.During the second and third trimesters ofpregnancy, your protein needs rise to 71 grams a day.

2. Full of Fiber

The fiber in peanut butter may help with heart health,diabetes, and digestive issues. Peanut butter has bothsoluble and insoluble fiber.Soluble fiber helps lower blood glucose and cholesterol levels.

Peanut butter’s insoluble fiber plusmagnesiumhelps your digestive system, keeping bowel movements regular toavoid constipation.

To get the full benefits of adding fiber to your diet, it’s important to increase fluids as well.

3. Healthy Fat Profile

There’sno cholesterolin peanut butter. It has a small amount of saturated fat but is high in unsaturated fats. Thesaturated-to-unsaturatedratio makes it a heart-healthy food, providing benefits such as:

4. Rich in Vitamins and Minerals

Peanut butter is a good source of vitamins and minerals. Two tablespoons provides:

5. Satisfies the Appetite

The fiber and protein of peanuts make peanut butter an energy-dense food. Research suggests it may help you feel fuller than low-density foods, reducing your total intake. It’s also alow-glycemic indexfood, which may help with weight and diabetes management.

Though peanut butter can be healthy in moderation, just 2 tablespoons have about 3.36 grams of sugar.Added sugars can contribute to a variety of health problems, including:

Most people should get less than 10% of their daily calories from added sugars. Children younger than 2 years old should not have any.

You’ll get nearly 200 calories from 2 tablespoons of peanut butter and 3.23 grams of saturated fat.Experts recommend no more than 13 grams of saturated fat per day.Using a single serving as a guide, you wouldn’t want to eat more than 2 tablespoons a day.

If you have concerns about weight or too muchsugarorproteinin your diet, discuss them with a healthcare provider.

You may havefood intoleranceif you have digestive symptoms such asbloating, gas, stomachaches, or diarrhea after eating peanuts.A food intolerance isn’t severe, but it can be unpleasant.

A peanut allergy is much more serious. It’s when your immune system overreacts to a foreign substance, such as peanuts.Symptomscan include:

Anaphylaxisis a severe, whole-body allergic reaction. It is potentially life-threatening, with symptoms such as:

Peanut allergy affects about 2% of the general population and is one of the most common food allergies among children.

The healthiest peanut butter is all-natural, made with peanuts and a dash of salt. Peanuts should be the main ingredient. The shorter the ingredient list, the better. There’s no difference between smooth and chunky beyond texture.

It’s best to avoid added oils and sweeteners. And keep in mind that low- or reduced-fat peanut butter will likely have extra sugar and salt.

You can make it into a paste, but it may not have that full peanut butter taste you’re used to. You also still need to read its labels because some brands of peanut powder may add ingredients like sugar and salt.

Almond butter has about 200 calories, 19 grams of fat, and 5 grams of protein. It contains healthy fats, vitamins, and minerals such as vitamin E, magnesium, and calcium.

Cashew butter also has about 200 calories, 16 grams of fat, and 6 grams of protein. It contains healthy fats and is a good source of iron.

Other alternatives include macadamia nut and walnut butter. You can also try some not-quite-nut butter, such as sunflower butter and pistachio butter.

Summary

Peanut butter is a classic treat for all ages. The right kind, enjoyed in moderation, can be a nutritious part of a healthy diet. Peanut butter provides healthy fats, protein, and fiber. It’s also rich in vitamins and minerals such as vitamin E, niacin, and magnesium. However, some brands have high amounts of sugar and other additives that can make them less healthy. That’s why it’s important to read product labels carefully when choosing peanut butter. Certain nut butters may be good alternatives.

19 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.U.S. Department of Agriculture. FoodData Central.Peanut butter, smooth style, with salt.U.S. Department of Agriculture.Protein foods.Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.Protein.Harvard Health Publishing.When it comes to protein, how much is too much?Murphy MM, Higgins KA, Bi X, Barraj LM.Adequacy and sources of protein intake among pregnant women in the United States, NHANES 2003–2012.Nutrients.2021;13(3):795. doi:10.3390/nu13030795Arya SS, Salve AR, Chauhan S.Peanuts as functional food: a review.J Food Sci Technol.2016;53(1):31-41. doi:10.1007/s13197-015-2007-9Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.Fiber.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Eating, diet, & nutrition for constipation.Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.Types of fat.Reis CEG, Ribeiro DN, Costa NMB, et al.Acute and second-meal effects of peanuts on glycaemic response and appetite in obese women with high type 2 diabetes risk: a randomised cross-over clinical trial.British Journal of Nutrition,109(11), 2015-2023. doi:10.1017/S0007114512004217Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Get the facts: added sugars.American Heart Association.Saturated fat.U.K. National Health Service.Food intolerance.Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.Allergy facts and figures.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Anaphylaxis.Lieberman JA, Gupta RS, Knibb RC, et al.The global burden of illness of peanut allergy: a comprehensive literature review.Allergy. 2021;76(5):1367-1384. doi:10.1111/all.14666University of Wyoming.Powdered peanut butter.Cedars-Sinai.Nut butters: Which one is healthiest?U.S. Department of Agriculture. FoodData Central.Cashew butter.

19 Sources

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.U.S. Department of Agriculture. FoodData Central.Peanut butter, smooth style, with salt.U.S. Department of Agriculture.Protein foods.Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.Protein.Harvard Health Publishing.When it comes to protein, how much is too much?Murphy MM, Higgins KA, Bi X, Barraj LM.Adequacy and sources of protein intake among pregnant women in the United States, NHANES 2003–2012.Nutrients.2021;13(3):795. doi:10.3390/nu13030795Arya SS, Salve AR, Chauhan S.Peanuts as functional food: a review.J Food Sci Technol.2016;53(1):31-41. doi:10.1007/s13197-015-2007-9Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.Fiber.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Eating, diet, & nutrition for constipation.Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.Types of fat.Reis CEG, Ribeiro DN, Costa NMB, et al.Acute and second-meal effects of peanuts on glycaemic response and appetite in obese women with high type 2 diabetes risk: a randomised cross-over clinical trial.British Journal of Nutrition,109(11), 2015-2023. doi:10.1017/S0007114512004217Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Get the facts: added sugars.American Heart Association.Saturated fat.U.K. National Health Service.Food intolerance.Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.Allergy facts and figures.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Anaphylaxis.Lieberman JA, Gupta RS, Knibb RC, et al.The global burden of illness of peanut allergy: a comprehensive literature review.Allergy. 2021;76(5):1367-1384. doi:10.1111/all.14666University of Wyoming.Powdered peanut butter.Cedars-Sinai.Nut butters: Which one is healthiest?U.S. Department of Agriculture. FoodData Central.Cashew butter.

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

U.S. Department of Agriculture. FoodData Central.Peanut butter, smooth style, with salt.U.S. Department of Agriculture.Protein foods.Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.Protein.Harvard Health Publishing.When it comes to protein, how much is too much?Murphy MM, Higgins KA, Bi X, Barraj LM.Adequacy and sources of protein intake among pregnant women in the United States, NHANES 2003–2012.Nutrients.2021;13(3):795. doi:10.3390/nu13030795Arya SS, Salve AR, Chauhan S.Peanuts as functional food: a review.J Food Sci Technol.2016;53(1):31-41. doi:10.1007/s13197-015-2007-9Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.Fiber.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Eating, diet, & nutrition for constipation.Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.Types of fat.Reis CEG, Ribeiro DN, Costa NMB, et al.Acute and second-meal effects of peanuts on glycaemic response and appetite in obese women with high type 2 diabetes risk: a randomised cross-over clinical trial.British Journal of Nutrition,109(11), 2015-2023. doi:10.1017/S0007114512004217Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Get the facts: added sugars.American Heart Association.Saturated fat.U.K. National Health Service.Food intolerance.Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.Allergy facts and figures.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Anaphylaxis.Lieberman JA, Gupta RS, Knibb RC, et al.The global burden of illness of peanut allergy: a comprehensive literature review.Allergy. 2021;76(5):1367-1384. doi:10.1111/all.14666University of Wyoming.Powdered peanut butter.Cedars-Sinai.Nut butters: Which one is healthiest?U.S. Department of Agriculture. FoodData Central.Cashew butter.

U.S. Department of Agriculture. FoodData Central.Peanut butter, smooth style, with salt.

U.S. Department of Agriculture.Protein foods.

Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.Protein.

Harvard Health Publishing.When it comes to protein, how much is too much?

Murphy MM, Higgins KA, Bi X, Barraj LM.Adequacy and sources of protein intake among pregnant women in the United States, NHANES 2003–2012.Nutrients.2021;13(3):795. doi:10.3390/nu13030795

Arya SS, Salve AR, Chauhan S.Peanuts as functional food: a review.J Food Sci Technol.2016;53(1):31-41. doi:10.1007/s13197-015-2007-9

Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.Fiber.

National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Eating, diet, & nutrition for constipation.

Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.Types of fat.

Reis CEG, Ribeiro DN, Costa NMB, et al.Acute and second-meal effects of peanuts on glycaemic response and appetite in obese women with high type 2 diabetes risk: a randomised cross-over clinical trial.British Journal of Nutrition,109(11), 2015-2023. doi:10.1017/S0007114512004217

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Get the facts: added sugars.

American Heart Association.Saturated fat.

U.K. National Health Service.Food intolerance.

Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.Allergy facts and figures.

Johns Hopkins Medicine.Anaphylaxis.

Lieberman JA, Gupta RS, Knibb RC, et al.The global burden of illness of peanut allergy: a comprehensive literature review.Allergy. 2021;76(5):1367-1384. doi:10.1111/all.14666

University of Wyoming.Powdered peanut butter.

Cedars-Sinai.Nut butters: Which one is healthiest?

U.S. Department of Agriculture. FoodData Central.Cashew butter.

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